Die mechanism



Oct. 28, 1941. A. c. FERGUSON.

DIE MECHANISM Filed May 28, 1941 2 Sheeis-Sheet l Oct. 28, 1941. A. c.FERGUSON 2,260,370

DIE MECHANISM 2 Shets-Sheet? Filed May 28, 1941 Patented Oct. 28, 1941 LAllen Curtis Ferguson,

Lutherville, Md., assignor to The Glenn L. Martin Company, Baltimore,

Application May 28, 1941. Serial No. 395,509

6 Claims. (Cl. 16429) The invention relates to dies, and particularly Ito dies for stamping blanks from sheet metal.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a simple and effectivedevice of this nature.

A further object of the invention is to provide a die formed of tworelatively -movable parts which can be pressed together to accomplishthe cutting, in which one of the parts comprises a simple flat surfacewhilethe other carries all the working parts of the die.

Another object of the invention is to provide a die mechanism forstriking successive blanks from a strip of material or from sheetsthereof wherein the waste is cleared from the die automatically aftereach operation.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a die mechanism inwhich the sheet from which a blank is to be cut is held along its edgesduring the cutting operation,

An additional object of the invention is to produce a die havingresilient means for separating the die and'punch and for clearing thewaste from the punch after each operation.

Further objects of the invention will appear more fully from thefollowing description, particularly when taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings which form a part thereof.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a bottom plan View of the upper element of a die mechanismembodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a side view, partly in section along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1and partlyin-elevation, of the mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a of Fig. 1.

The die mechanism includes two relatively movable parts, the lower partA constituting an partial cross section on the line 3-3 -anvil or baseand the upper part B constituting amount or carrier for the diemechanism. The

base A has a flat upper surface 2, and is provided at its corners withholes 4 for receiving and guiding members to be described below carriedby carrier 3.

The punch 6 having any suitable shape, such as that shown in Fig. 1, issecured by spot welding or other suitable means to the bottom of a plate7. Mounted' in holes ID in the corners of carrier B are pins or posts I!having shoulders l3 which engage the plate 1 to hold it on the lowerface of carrier B. These are held from dropping out by screws 14threaded into the carrier and engaging downwardly tapered portions I6 ofthe posts. The lower ends of the posts have enlarged heads l8 which canmove into holes 4 in anvil easily removable and replaceable, so thatvarious A. The die 20having a hole therein of the same shape as punch 6is guided at its corners on posts I2, resting on enlarged ends l8. Thickrings 22 of rubber, or some other suitable elastic means,

are provided around each post above the die 20, thus spacing this diefrom the carrier B and resiliently resisting its upward movement.

The punch 6 is surrounded by a sheet 24 of rubber or other elasticmaterial which is cemented or otherwise secured on the lower face ofplate 'I. This sheet fits closely around the whole periphery of thepunch. Plate 1 and punch 6 also contain slightly pointed prick members 8for making marks on the blank as a guide to further operation.

At each side the carrier has L-shaped guides 26 adjustably mounted.thereon by slots 28 and bolts 30.

This mechanism operates as follows:

A strip 32 of material to be punched, such as sheet metal; is fed intothe space between die 20 and punch 6. The head or carrier B is thenforced down on the anvil, by any suitable force- .exerting mechanism.When the die 20 engages the surface 2 of the anvil, it is'heldstationary. Continued downward movement of the head now forces the punch6 and rubber sheet 24 into engagement with the strip 32. Rubber 24 gripsthe edges of the sheet, while die 6 punches the blank from the metalthrough the die and thus stamps out a piece of the desired shape. At thesame time, prick members 8 mark points on the blank at which furtheroperations, such as punching, are to be performed.

When the pressure is released, the rubber rings 22 push the die awayfrom the punch. At the same time, the rubber sheet 24 pushes the wasteaway from the punch and thus clears the punch. The strip can then be fedthrough until another blank can be punched therefrom.

Obviously the die, punch and rubber sheet are shapes can be produced onthe same machine.

While I have described herein one embodiment of my invention I wish itto be understood that I do not intend to be limited thereby except withI in the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: 1..Die mechanism comprising an anvil having a smooth face, acarrier movable towards and from said anvil face, said carrier having apunch protruding from its face adjacent said anvil face, a die having anopening therein mating with said punch, means mounting said die on thecarrier between the anvil and carrier'for movement towards and from thepunch, resilient means urging said die away-from the punch, said diebeing normally spaced from the punch to allow the introduction of a bodyof material therebetween, said die being engageable with the anvil faceto be moved over the punch when the carrier is moved towards the anvilto punch a. blank from such material.

2. Die mechanism comprising an anvil having a smooth face, a carriermovable towards and from said anvil face, said carrier having a punchprotruding from its face adjacent said anvil face, resilient meansoutside the outline of the punch engageable by a body of materialbrought against the punch for normally urging such material away fromthe punch, a die having an opening therein mating with said punch, meansmounting said die on the carrier between the anvil and carrier formovement towards and from the punch, resilient means urging said dieaway from the punch, said die being normally spaced from i the punch toallow the introduction of a body of material therebetween, said diebeing engageable with the'anvil face to be moved over the punch when thecarrier is moved towards the anvil to punch a blank from such material.

3. Die mechanism comprising an anvil having a smooth face, a carriermovable towards and from said anvil face, said carrier having a punchprotruding from its face adjacent said anvil face, posts protruding fromthe same face of the'car' rier, a .die having an opening therein matingwith said punch and having holes slidably engaging said posts wherebysaid die is mounted on the carrier between the anvil and carrier formovement towards and from the punch, said die being engageable with theanvil face to be moved over the punch when the carrier is moved towardsthe anvil, said anvil having holes there-- in for receiving said posts.

4. Die mechanism comprising an anvil having a smooth face, a carriermovable towards and from said anvil face, said carrier having a punchprotruding from its face adjacent said anvil face, posts protruding fromthe same face of the carrier, a die having an opening therein matingwith said punch and having holes slidably engaging said posts wherebysaid die is mounted on the carrier between the anvil and carrier formovement towards and from the punch, rubber rings around said postsbetween the die and the carrier, said die being engageable with theanvil face to be moved over the punch when the carrier is moved towardsthe anvil.

5. Die mechanism comprising an anvil having a smooth face, a carriermovable towards and from said anvil face, said carrier having a punchprotruding from its face adjacent said-anvil face, a sheet of rubbersecured to the same face of the carrier closely surrounding said punch,posts protruding from the same face of the carrier, a diehaving anopening therein mating with said punch and having holes slidablyengaging said posts whereby said die is mounted on the carrier betweenthe anvil and carrier for movement towards and from the punch, rubberrings around said posts between the die and the carrier, said die being'engageable with the anvil face to be moved over the punch when thecarrier ismoved towards the anvil.

' 6. In a device as claimed in claim 5, said anvil having holes thereinfor receiving said posts.

ALLEN CURTIS FERGUSON.

